Guided by Bulbaski, Jerome Bonaparte walked along the corridors of Fontainebleau Palace towards the backyard, soon stopping in front of a bedroom on the third floor of the backyard of Fontainebleau.

"Your Majesty, the Prince is inside!" Bulbaski turned to Jerome Bonaparte and said.

Jerome Bonaparte nodded and then motioned to Bulbaski to knock on the door.

Bulbaski gently knocked on the door, and after a while, the door opened, and the figure of Prince Monfort appeared before Jerome Bonaparte.

At this moment, Prince Monfort’s eyes were hazy, with a trace of weariness on his face, looking as though he had just woken up from sleep.

"Returned!"

Prince Monfort glanced at Jerome Bonaparte behind Bulbaski and spoke in a faint tone.

"Yes!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in response.

Prince Monfort didn’t ask much about the details of the hunt; he turned sideways, making way into the room.

"Come in!"

Seeing this, Bulbaski also took his leave from Jerome Bonaparte, who nodded slightly to allow Bulbaski to leave.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte entered the room and sat directly on the long sofa by the window side, after a while, Prince Monfort, holding a decanter of wine and two glasses, sat opposite Jerome Bonaparte.

Prince Monfort shook the wine, asking Jerome Bonaparte, "Have a sip?"

"Sure!" Jerome Bonaparte replied lightly.

Prince Monfort, sitting directly opposite, personally poured a glass of wine for Jerome Bonaparte and then pushed the wine closer to his side.

Jerome Bonaparte raised the wine glass and clinked glasses with Prince Monfort.

After a subtle swallow, Jerome Bonaparte drank the full glass of wine.

Slightly tipsy, Jerome Bonaparte immediately began to discuss the main topic, first asking Prince Monfort about the details of Radetzky’s funeral.

Prince Monfort recounted to Jerome Bonaparte the scene he saw at the train station, including Emperor Franz Joseph personally carrying the coffin for Radetzky.

Upon hearing from Prince Monfort that Franz Joseph personally carried the coffin for Radetzky, Jerome Bonaparte, like Von Bismarck, furrowed his brow.

Seeing the usually composed Jerome Bonaparte make such an expression, Prince Monfort felt somewhat puzzled.

Could it be that there are hidden secrets behind Emperor Franz Joseph carrying Radetzky’s coffin?

Curious, Prince Monfort asked Jerome Bonaparte, "Is there a secret about Franz Joseph carrying Radetzky’s coffin?"

Jerome Bonaparte, coming back to his senses upon hearing Prince Monfort’s words, shook his head in response.

"No! I was merely curious who suggested to Franz Joseph to carry the coffin; it couldn’t possibly be Franz Joseph’s own idea!

Turning a simple funeral into a grand political showcase, such a maneuver is certainly not something a monarch like Franz Joseph, raised in seclusion, could think of!"

Prince Monfort similarly believed that the idea probably wasn’t Franz Joseph’s own thought (though both guessed incorrectly); given Franz Joseph’s dull personality, he wouldn’t think to leverage a funeral for political gain.

Or perhaps, the ancient Habsburg itself doesn’t need, like the Second Empire, to conduct grand political events to root the empire’s image in the minds of the French people, thus winning their hearts.

The Habsburg dynasty, with its thousand-year history, has long been closely linked with various nationalities under its domain, leading to the Habsburg monarch having no motivation to occasionally demonstrate presence like the Second Empire.

Based on such premises, Prince Monfort proposed his hypothesis.

"I think... it should be Clemens Metternich’s handiwork!"

"I agree with you!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in response to Prince Monfort.

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte turned the topic towards Prince Metternich.

"By the way, during your stay in Vienna, did Prince Clemens Metternich meet with you?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Prince Monfort again.

"Yes!" Prince Monfort replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "On the day after I attended the funeral, Clemens Metternich met with me!

However, our meeting place was not at the French Embassy!

But at the Vienna Royal Opera House, when I was watching a performance in the opera house’s private box, the service staff outside the room informed me of Clemens Metternich’s visit!

I guess he came specifically!"

"What did you talk about?" Jerome Bonaparte asked.

Prince Monfort shrugged and replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "That old fox, Clemens Metternich, likes to speak in riddles and won’t reveal his true intentions until the very last moment.

He started reminiscing about his glorious days in Paris, reflecting on how time changes, and then he introduced me to the actors at the Vienna Royal Opera House."

"And then?" Jerome Bonaparte pursued further.

"Then Clemens Metternich left the private box!" Prince Monfort said, "I told you, that old fox won’t expose his true intentions until the absolute last moment!

In the following days, he seemed to have figured out my routines and would accurately find me after I left the embassy, inviting me to sit in the same box with him, which I couldn’t really refuse.

My dear son, you know I never like to be disturbed while enjoying a ballet.

After several times, I couldn’t stand Clemens Metternich’s harassment anymore and decided to confront the old thing!

Before a ballet show started, I took the initiative to find him and led him to the private box.

Clemens Metternich seemed to anticipate what I was going to say and inquired politely about my purpose!

I first closed the door to the box and then quietly rebuked Metternich for disturbing me.

Clemens Metternich first looked surprised, then expressed his apologies for the trouble he caused me!"

Prince Monfort went on and on about his "encounter" at the Vienna Opera House, and from his words, Jerome Bonaparte could clearly sense his father’s resentment towards Prince Metternich.

Evidently, Prince Metternich had quite interrupted Prince Monfort’s enjoyment.

"I know that old fox surely wasn’t sincerely apologizing; expecting a heartfelt apology from him is practically impossible!

Moreover, my intention wasn’t to hear apologies from that guy!

At the time, I only wanted him to stay away from me!

So, I straightforwardly asked Metternich what he wanted from me!

Initially, Metternich didn’t admit his intentions, until I told him ’If there’s nothing, please do not disturb me again.’

It was then that Metternich informed me he wanted to inquire whether the Empire’s foreign strategy had changed!"

Jerome Bonaparte immediately understood that the contact between Valerovsky and Von Bismarck had stirred Clemens Metternich’s unease, fearing the French Empire might join with the Kingdom of Prussia to jointly suppress the Austrian Empire.

Between countries, there are never eternal friends.

One moment they could be inseparable allies, and the next, they might be at each other’s throats.

"How did you respond?"

"I told Metternich that the Empire’s diplomacy is always handled by the Emperor and Minister of Foreign Affairs; I’m merely an irrelevant marshal and have no sway over the Empire’s diplomatic strategies!

However, I can assure you that the French Empire’s diplomatic strategy always prioritizes maintaining the stability of Europe’s order!

There’s absolutely no favoritism or actions targeting any particular country!" Prince Monfort detailed his remarks to Jerome Bonaparte, then cautiously asked, "What I just said shouldn’t cause you any trouble, should it?"

"Father, your words alone would be enough to make you Foreign Minister!" Jerome Bonaparte flattered Prince Monfort in reply.

Prince Monfort waved his hand with a smile, fully aware that it was merely Jerome Bonaparte’s flattery, knowing he was far from any comparison with a Foreign Minister.

"So... how did Metternich reply to you!" Jerome Bonaparte further inquired of Prince Monfort.

"Metternich simply said ’I understand’ and then left the box!

In the subsequent days, Metternich never bothered me again!" Prince Monfort answered, and then as if something crossed his mind, he added, "However, it’s quite the opposite with Von Bismarck, the Prussian envoy in Paris, constantly communicating with Valerovsky!

I assume this is part of your arrangement, right?"

"Yes!" Jerome Bonaparte candidly admitted, "I instructed Valerovsky to engage early with the future Prime Minister of Prussia to benefit his work in the Berlin Region!"

"You have a high opinion of that Von Bismarck envoy!" Prince Monfort responded with a surprised look, "Based on the information I got in the Austrian Empire, this Von Bismarck is considered by the Kingdom of Prussia to be a nuisance to the Austrian Empire, meant to disgust them!"

"The information you got in the Austrian Empire is just baseless slander from some who are dissatisfied with Von Bismarck!" Jerome Bonaparte replied with disdain on his face, speaking confidently, "I dare bet there’s no one in the Kingdom of Prussia more suited for Prime Minister than him!

Just wait and see! After the Third Estate Meeting, Von Bismarck will definitely become the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Prussia!"